Buy a UK pick-up, get it converted in Germany, then re-import - without CoC??

[Chrisbb]

Hello,
I am new here and hope I didn't miss the answers to my question(s) elsewhere on the forum. I was hoping somebody knowledgable here might be able to help me which would be totally amazing!!

-I am planning on buying a RHD Ford Ranger Double Cab in the UK, get it converted by BiMobil in Germany like this: https://www.bimobil.com/en/modell/bimobil-husky-230/
And then bring it back to the UK. Problem is that BiMobil don't issue a CoC for this. Or is it?
I couldn't find any info on this as it's an unusual case - could I still get it registered in the UK via IVA?
I was hoping it might be easier as the truck will have a UK plates already?

-BiMobil told me that the Ranger has to be emission class 6c or below. They can't do a conversion for a 6d temp or 6d vehicle. Would it be possible to buy a new Ranger and still register it as 6c?

-They have a long waiting list, so if I order it now, I will receive it in 2 years time. I am assuming the UK will have left the EU by then - would CoCs be pointless then anyway and maybe it'll be even easier then to register without CoC? Or is all that pure speculation and nobody knows what will happen anyway and ordering a conversion in Germany with a 2 year waiting list just before Brexit is just a really stupid idea?

Thanks so much for any help on these issues - it all feels like a bit of a minefield at the moment...

Christoph

 

[busbuddy]

If it's a demountable it dont need to be re-registered

 

[Odd-no-more]

Sorry I can't help, but wish you good luck, 2 years is a long wait, it does look good

 

[simsy56]

Buy a demountable.

Craig

 

[Ridgeway]

FYI our Neighbour where we store our van has a Bimobil that's he and his family have toured the World in, it's an amazingly well built machine !!! There's is a classic camping car on a Ford chassis but such a nice vehicle.

Good luck with your project.

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[Landy Andy]

The vehicle will have a CoC, although if you are buying that in the UK and having it registered in the Uk, it’s not required. but the demountable is just a bolt on extra, like a roof rack, or pickup load cover so no CoC is required. That’s my understanding

 

[Pausim]

They can't do a conversion for a 6d temp or 6d vehicle. Would it be possible to buy a new Ranger and still register it as 6c?

Euro 6d/d temp is now the standard required for new registrations. There is a short term arrangement for 6c vehicles already in the system. I can’t see the DVLA registering a 6d as a 6c, they will just take the information from the vehicles CoC or whatever official document is then in use. If you want a 6c model you probably need to find and register it now.

 

[DandG5515]

My understanding from the kit car industry is, as long as it is U.K. registered all the time, not registered in Germany, and the conversion does not cut Or modify any of the original chassis An IVA is not required. watching the video it’s a demountable so I doubt dvla would need it classed as a body change to motorhome as its not fixed.

 

[Minxy]

The vehicle will have a CoC, although if you are buying that in the UK and having it registered in the Uk, it’s not required. but the demountable is just a bolt on extra, like a roof rack, or pickup load cover so no CoC is required. That’s my understanding

My understanding from the kit car industry is, as long as it is U.K. registered all the time, not registered in Germany, and the conversion does not cut Or modify any of the original chassis An IVA is not required. watching the video it’s a demountable so I doubt dvla would need it classed as a body change to motorhome as its not fixed.

I've just watched the below video which shows how the body attaches and the only difference between this and a 'normal' demountable is that they have to remove the existing rear section and replace it with their own so the base vehicle is actually changed from being a standard pick-up (exposed wheels etc) so whether it will need approval or not is something that really needs checking out with the relevant authority to be sure.

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www.bimobil.com

 

[Minxy]

Hello,
I am new here and hope I didn't miss the answers to my question(s) elsewhere on the forum. I was hoping somebody knowledgable here might be able to help me which would be totally amazing!!

Hi Chris, welcome to the fun house.

-I am planning on buying a RHD Ford Ranger Double Cab in the UK, get it converted by BiMobil in Germany like this: https://www.bimobil.com/en/modell/bimobil-husky-230/
And then bring it back to the UK. Problem is that BiMobil don't issue a CoC for this. Or is it?
I couldn't find any info on this as it's an unusual case - could I still get it registered in the UK via IVA?
I was hoping it might be easier as the truck will have a UK plates already?

see my comments above.

-BiMobil told me that the Ranger has to be emission class 6c or below. They can't do a conversion for a 6d temp or 6d vehicle. Would it be possible to buy a new Ranger and still register it as 6c?

You'll have to find a suitable 6c vehicle still available to buy new, or a second-hand one as there's no way you're gonna be able to register a 6d vehicle as a 6c, no more than you could do a 6c as a 6d.

-They have a long waiting list, so if I order it now, I will receive it in 2 years time. I am assuming the UK will have left the EU by then - would CoCs be pointless then anyway and maybe it'll be even easier then to register without CoC? Or is all that pure speculation and nobody knows what will happen anyway and ordering a conversion in Germany with a 2 year waiting list just before Brexit is just a really stupid idea?

I wouldn't wait a year never mind 2 for something like that regardless of Brexit ... a lot can change in 2 years. Personally I'd rather see if I could get a good second-hand one first, even LHD, and ensure I 'like' it before making that sort of commitment for the future.

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[gus-lopez]

My understanding from the kit car industry is, as long as it is U.K. registered all the time, not registered in Germany, and the conversion does not cut Or modify any of the original chassis An IVA is not required. watching the video it’s a demountable so I doubt dvla would need it classed as a body change to motorhome as its not fixed.

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ As long as UK registered first , then convert = only need to change use with dvla if you wish to.

 

[Pausim]

The 6d/6d temp were introduced to stop manufacturers cheating the tests. The pollution limits are the same as 6c but the testing is more rigorous and it would now appear the rules about subsequent alterations have also changed. If removing some bodywork invalidates the original 6d certificates perhaps it will affect a lot of other modifications, an obvious candidate would be engine re-mapping. I am only guessing, I have no specialist knowledge but it seems logical to me that this will affect more than just this particular demountable alteration.

 

[busbuddy]

The rear of the pick up is sacrificial, all the safety and crash testing will have been done on the chassis cab
For construction and use regulations all the rear of the pick up does is provide mudguards, light/number plate holders.....you could replace it with a garden shed and as long as the fixings were safe the dvsa would not be interested
If you really wanted one it would have to be voluntary iva as the standard one dont apply to it

 

[Minxy]

The rear of the pick up is sacrificial, all the safety and crash testing will have been done on the chassis cab
For construction and use regulations all the rear of the pick up does is provide mudguards, light/number plate holders.....you could replace it with a garden shed and as long as the fixings were safe the dvsa would not be interested
If you really wanted one it would have to be voluntary iva as the standard one dont apply to it

Now there's an idea!

 

[Just smiffy]

Just thinking aloud here..... how long do they keep the vehicle in their presence to convert the truck..? I’m thinking of mots or vehicle having to be registered in the country it’s in..... ?

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[Chrisbb]

Wow, what an amzing forum - thanks so much for all the useful advice!!

The rear of the pick up is sacrificial, all the safety and crash testing will have been done on the chassis cab
For construction and use regulations all the rear of the pick up does is provide mudguards, light/number plate holders.....you could replace it with a garden shed and as long as the fixings were safe the dvsa would not be interested
If you really wanted one it would have to be voluntary iva as the standard one dont apply to it

That's interesting - really good to know. They also change the rear suspension to a Goldschmitt air suspension with a higher 2.2t maximum load for the rear axle, to increase the gross vehicle weight to 3.5t. Would that require registration? (although I might just go for the garden shed idea!)

You'll have to find a suitable 6c vehicle still available to buy new, or a second-hand one as there's no way you're gonna be able to register a 6d vehicle as a 6c, no more than you could do a 6c as a 6d.
I wouldn't wait a year never mind 2 for something like that regardless of Brexit ... a lot can change in 2 years. Personally I'd rather see if I could get a good second-hand one first, even LHD, and ensure I 'like' it before making that sort of commitment for the future.

OK, thanks - I might end up doing that and buy one now already.

The 6d/6d temp were introduced to stop manufacturers cheating the tests. The pollution limits are the same as 6c but the testing is more rigorous and it would now appear the rules about subsequent alterations have also changed. If removing some bodywork invalidates the original 6d certificates perhaps it will affect a lot of other modifications, an obvious candidate would be engine re-mapping. I am only guessing, I have no specialist knowledge but it seems logical to me that this will affect more than just this particular demountable alteration.

Interesting - I had no idea it's just stricter testing.
The woman from Bimobil was explaining to me that companies like Fiat for example who supply a lot of their Ducatos to the motorhome market get their models approved for 6d/temp with a motorhome sized reference box in the back, but for the Ford Ranger that's a niche market, so Ford doesn't bother. That's also why they don't offer the VW T6 anymore as VW did get it approved with a smaller reference box than the Bimobil box, so they can't get the T6 registered with their box at all anymore.

As long as UK registered first , then convert = only need to change use with dvla if you wish to.

Good point - would I wish to? How does it work with insurance? I'll have a commercial vehicle pick-up truck and a motorhome at the same time - the primary use will be as a motorhome, but will it be insured for use as a pick-up truck when I insure it as a motorhome or vice versa? I assume motorhome insurance is cheaper?

Thanks so much for the warm welcome evrybody!!!

C-:

 

[Chrisbb]

Just thinking aloud here..... how long do they keep the vehicle in their presence to convert the truck..? I’m thinking of mots or vehicle having to be registered in the country it’s in..... ?

They wouldn't need that vehicle now - I'm not sure, but i donlt think the build-process should take any longer than 2 months.

 

[Chrisbb]

nevermind the insurance question - just found this rather useful link: http://truck-campers.uk/insurance.html

 

[2657]

nevermind the insurance question - just found this rather useful link: http://truck-campers.uk/insurance.html

A possible problem with that scenario is that you will no longer have a pickup truck, what you have is a chassis cab with a demountable body.
Is the chassis cab road legal without the demountable ie mudguards lights.

I can see no advantages with this set up over a normal demountable, you will not have a vehicle useful for anything without the demountable other than a big car.

I presume there must be some advantages, care to elaborate.

We had a Mazda Bt 50 to pull our 5'er and toyed with the idea of a demountable but decided they were too expensive for the limited use that we would make of one.

Incidentally my son, who we gave the pickup to, has just bought a 2016 Ranger and is very pleased with it.

 

[Pausim]

The woman from Bimobil was explaining to me that companies like Fiat for example who supply a lot of their Ducatos to the motorhome market get their models approved for 6d/temp with a motorhome sized reference box in the back, but for the Ford Ranger that's a niche market, so Ford doesn't bother. That's also why they don't offer the VW T6 anymore as VW did get it approved with a smaller reference box than the Bimobil box, so they can't get the T6 registered with their box at all anymore.

Interesting, it seems to be the lack of an appropriate reference box figure that would invalidate the Euro 6d rating.

If you register the vehicle before the conversion you would still need to notify the DVLA of the uprated weight and get the V5 changed, to avoid being overloaded.

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[Landy Andy]

i would have thought that they give you the rear tub back, or you remove it before giving them the vehicle. So you have the option of returning the vehicle to standard either permanently, or temporarily.

 

[Landy Andy]

These do ones that fit WITH your rear tub staying in place.

Pick-up-cabins : Tischer-Pickup

www.tischer-pickup.com

 

[Minxy]

Chrisbb ... your next post will be your last free one so use it wisely if you aren't going to subscribe to the forum (£15 for a year), hopefully though you'll want to keep posting and we'd love to have you as a fully paid up member so we can enjoy the journey with you but also help you get there.

IMV what you really need to decide is whether how often you will want to remove the Bimobil unit as this may be the factor that helps you decide whether a 'normal' demountable would be better. If you are going to use the pick-up as your day to day runabout loading stuff on it and want to use it with a habitation pod at the weekend then a Bimobil unit will be a pain due to the fact that you have to remove your pick-up rear 'tub' and fit the Bimobil bits before you can even put the unit on, then to the reverse each time you get back home - I don't think that removing the Bimobil and using the pick-up as is will be legal as the lights etc would be in the tub so it would have to go back on. However if you don't intend to use it as a pick-up a lot a Bimobil one might work out okay but of course you'll be continually carting it around all the time so parking, fuel consumption etc could be affected.

 

[Landy Andy]

Demounting and mounting of the pod, on some models is very easy. I’ve seen the Bimobil but not examined it closely to know with this model, but they tend to have legs on each corner. So you lower the legs and drop the rear air and drive out from it.

This was my plan

But went for full motorhome as I worked out that the other was a compromise in many many ways.

 

[Chrisbb]

i would have thought that they give you the rear tub back, or you remove it before giving them the vehicle. So you have the option of returning the vehicle to standard either permanently, or temporarily.

Exactly - they also modify the tub, so you can easily keep switching between cabin and tub.

Demounting and mounting of the pod, on some models is very easy. I’ve seen the Bimobil but not examined it closely to know with this model, but they tend to have legs on each corner. So you lower the legs and drop the rear air and drive out from it.

Yeah, that's right - like this:
I was dreaming of a defender as well - but with ULEZ I think we have to scrap that idea:-((

IMV what you really need to decide is whether how often you will want to remove the Bimobil unit as this may be the factor that helps you decide whether a 'normal' demountable would be better. If you are going to use the pick-up as your day to day runabout loading stuff on it and want to use it with a habitation pod at the weekend then a Bimobil unit will be a pain due to the fact that you have to remove your pick-up rear 'tub' and fit the Bimobil bits before you can even put the unit on, then to the reverse each time you get back home - I don't think that removing the Bimobil and using the pick-up as is will be legal as the lights etc would be in the tub so it would have to go back on. However if you don't intend to use it as a pick-up a lot a Bimobil one might work out okay but of course you'll be continually carting it around all the time so parking, fuel consumption etc could be affected.

You make really good points there - but I live in London and barely ever use a car here, so I don't think I'll be using the tub much at all. For me it's just a nice extra to have.

I can see no advantages with this set up over a normal demountable, you will not have a vehicle useful for anything without the demountable other than a big car.

I presume there must be some advantages, care to elaborate.

This set-up gives you considerbaly more space as the cabin has full width all the way down, especially where you want to store your heavy bits like batteries, water tanks etc.
And of course you can always switch it back within 20 minutes to a normal pick-up tub.

I just spoke to Bimobil again and apparently in Gemrnay this set-up doesn't count as a demountable, because you remove the flatbed and the cabin is mounted onto the back in a way that counts as fixed - even though you can remove it. So I guess it kind of becomes a coachbuild caravan. Does it work the same way in the UK? I guess I have to find a Bimobil owner here to be sure? I'm a bit scared of starting with the DVLA as you need to get lucky and get hold of a person who really knows about this stuff...

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[Chrisbb]

I juste received an example Registration document from Bimobil - see attached.
in field 22 it basically says that the car has 3 different "setup states" (not sure if there is a better english expression for it):
1: just platform
2: pick-up tub
3: with bimobil camper box
Does anybody if in the UK you "can" or "have to" register all these different states as well?
Thanks!!!
C-:

 

[Minxy]

Demounting and mounting of the pod, on some models is very easy. I’ve seen the Bimobil but not examined it closely to know with this model, but they tend to have legs on each corner. So you lower the legs and drop the rear air and drive out from it.

This was my plan
View attachment 419825
But went for full motorhome as I worked out that the other was a compromise in many many ways.

With the location of your spare wheel it looks like a caravan is getting frisky with your LR!

 

[Minxy]

I juste received an example Registration document from Bimobil - see attached.
in field 22 it basically says that the car has 3 different "setup states" (not sure if there is a better english expression for it):
1: just platform
2: pick-up tub
3: with bimobil camper box
Does anybody if in the UK you "can" or "have to" register all these different states as well?
Thanks!!!
C-:

Can't answer that but the first thing to check is what the difference is for tax purposes between each type of set-up, if they are all the same it might not make awkward but if there are different tax charge amounts it could be more difficult, although they'd likely say you'd have to pay the highest!

Another difficulty may be that with the classification of 'vans with windows' being levied on some van conversions now instead of the desired 'motorcaravan', which I believe is so that the vehicle can be easily identified by the authorities etc if needs be, having one that you can keep chopping and changing the 'visible' type of could cause issues.

I suspect your only way forward is to contact the DVLA ...

 

[Landy Andy]

Go to the overland show that is at the end of September. There is a group going from her. There you will see others with these and be able to talk to them about their experiences.

Unfortunately I’m not allowed to go

 

[Chrisbb]

I suspect your only way forward is to contact the DVLA ...

Go to the overland show that is at the end of September. There is a group going from her. There you will see others with these and be able to talk to them about their experiences.

Unfortunately I’m not allowed to go

Sounds interesting do you know if there are any Bimobil owners here?

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